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(No Model.) 4 Sheets--Sh.eet 1.

R. 'E IGKEMEYEB. Machine forPlanging Eat' S'Weat Linings. No. 239,090. Patented March 22,1881.

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4 Sheets-Sheet 2. I

. R; EIGKEMEYER. Machine for Hanging Hat. Sweat Linings. No. 239,090 Patented March 22,1881.

(No Model.)

-(N0M0Q0L) Q 4Shets-Sheet 3.-

. R. EIOKEM'EYER. Machine for Fl'anging Hat Swea-tL'ining's.

No. 239,090. Patented March 22,1881.

(No Model.) 7 4 Sheets-Shee't 4.

R. EIGKEMEYER. Machine for Flanlging Hat-Sweat Linings. No.239,090. Patented March 22,1881.

' UNITED PATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLF EIOKEMEYER, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOR FLAN'GING HAT SWEATFLININGS- SPEG IFIG ATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 239,090, dated March 22, 1881.

ApplicationfiledJanuary 1881. (N0 model.)

1 0 all whom it may concern Beit known that I, RUDOLF EIGKEMEYER, of Yonkers,in the countyof'Westchesterand State of New York, have invented certain new and" useful Improvements in Machines for Flanging Hat Sweat-Linings; and Ido hereby declare that the following specification, takenin connection with the drawings furnished and forming a part thereof, is a clear,

true, and complete description of the several features of my invention.

The objects of my present invention are, mainly, to obviate the liabilities of injuring sweat-linings, incident to the use of machines asheretofore constructed by myself and others, and this I attain by a progressive or gradual increase of stretching tension upon the edge of the lining during the flanging operation; also, to obviate the objectionable strains upon the lining incident to the purely frictional devices heretofore used, through which the linings have been fed to the flanging-rolls, and this 1 attain by mechanically feeding the lining to the flanging-rolls, either by means of special feed-rolls or by relying upon a flanging roll or rolls to feed the lining to the nextsucceeding hanging roll or rolls also, to render the flanging operation more rapid bylessen ing the manipulation and attention heretofore requisite in feeding the linings to flangingrolls, and that is attained partially by a feeding roll or rolls, partially by means of a vertically-slotted guide, and partially by supporting the lining on its edge in its passagethrough the machine; also, to polish and smooth the outer or exposed surface of the flared portion of the lining, which is attained bye-ausing the surface of the bed feed-roll to move at a speed faster than the upper roll, or by causing the bed-roll under the first Hanging-roll of a series of such rolls to revolve at a speed faster than the flan gin g-roll co-operating therewith; also, to secure a uniform set to the flange of the lining with relation to the main portion thereof, \vhichis attained by having the Hanging-rollers co-operate with a single bed-roller. Numerous other advantages accrue from the use of my improvements, as will obviously appear to persons skilled in the art.

The several devices or combinations of devices believed to be novel will be first fully described, and then specified in the several clauses of claims hereunto annexed, and while I prefer to employ all of the said several features of my invention in one organization, I do not limit myself thereto, for I well know that many of said features may be employed independently of other novel features, and afford resnlts substantially the same as accrue from them when em ployed in machines organized precisely as those shown by me in my drawings, and hereinafter described.

To more particularly describe my invention, will refer to the accompanying four sheets of drawings, in whicht Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a plan view. of a machine embodying the main features of my invention with certain pressure-plates, screws, springs, and guide removed. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same with" its bed-roll and guideplate removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the same on line a: yofFig. 1. Fig. 4 is a similar view on line Fig. 5 is a rearend view of an upper roller-shaft box. Fig. 6, Sheet 1, is an enlarged side view of -a portion ofthe bed-roll and one of the smaller rolls with aisweat-lining having a reed arid its covering, all in position as during the operation of flanging. Fig. 7, Sheet 2, .is an enlarged partial plan view of the bed-roll andthe flangingrolls with the guide in its proper position. Fig. 8

is a partial vertical sectional view of Fig. 7 on line x z. Figs. 9, 10,11, and 12 are respectivel y top, side, end, and vertical sectional views of a detached edge-guide. Figs. 13, 14,15, and 16 are respectively front, top, rear, and bottom views of a lining-gage adapted to deliver a lining to the rolls. Figs. 17 and 18, Sheet 3, are respectively side elevation and plan views of a machine difl'ering in its organization from that shown-in Fig.1, but embodying many of the features of my invention. Fig. 19, Sheet 4, is a front View of the machine, Fig. 17, with a portion of the same broken away in front of the rolls. Fig. 20 is a vertical longitudinal centralsection of the machine, Fig. 17. Fig. 21 is an enlarged partial side view of the front rollers in machine, Fig. 17, showinga lining in position. Fig. 22 is a front view of an edgeguide. Figs. 23 to 31, Sheetet, are various views of gages adapted for use with my machine.

' I will first described the machineillustrated on Sheets 1 and 2.

The frame A of the machine may be variously constructed, and preferably of cast-iron, the requisite stationary boxes, lugs, 850., being cast solidly therewith, or separately and attached by bolts.

The bed-roll B is novel in this class of machines, in that it is mounted upon a vertical axis, and serves as a bed for co-operating with all of the flanging or pressure rolls 0, the bed of said roll being the upper surface of the horizontal flange a thereon, and also in that it affords a slightly inclined, but practically vertical, supporting-surface, b, by which the sweatlining is maintained in a practically vertical position on its bent edge while passing through the machine. The bed-roll is revolved by means of a bevel-gear, c, geared, by way of a pinion-shaft, c, to a gear, 0 on the drivingshaft cl, all of which is fully illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. Although a single bed-roll is here employed for all the fianging-rolls, it is obvious that each upper roll, with the bed-roll, constitutes, in substance, a set of rolls, as if each upper roll had a bed-roll of its own. The practically vertical support for the lining afforded by the surface b may be attained without the use of a bed-roller, as hereinafter described, and employed in combination with a single pressure-roll and a bed-roll. This vertical support for the lining (for maintaining it on edge and in a position practically at right angles to the axis of said rolls) will perform a valuable service in securing accurate and ready delivery of the lining to said rolls.

The flanging-rolls O are practically counterparts, are mounted on the top plate of the frame in the same horizontal plane, but with their axes occupying lines radiating from the axis of the large 1 bed-roll B. Each of the flan gin g-rolls has a peripheral workin g surface,

c, at its outer end, coincident with the upper surface of the horizontal flange a of the bedroll B. When adapted to operate on sweatlinings provided with a reed or wire the flanging-rolls O are annularly grooved, as at 0; but said groove may be omitted, if a plain or a doubled flangeis desired, without such reed or Wire. The flan gin g or pressure rolls are geared to revolve in the same direction by means of a gear, f, on the main shaft, located between gears on the first two of the rolls, and a pinion, f, between the gears of the second two rolls, all as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The front and rear flanging-roll boxes, 9, are connected bymeans of a bar, 9, pivoted at g near the rear box, which admits of a vertical movement of the outer ends of the rollers above the bearing-surface of the bed-roll, and pressure is applied to the working ends of said rolls by means of springs h, mounted upon the topsof the front boxes, 9, said springs being adjustable as to pressure by means of the saddle-plates h and thumb-screws k The gearing of the several flanging-rolls is so proportioned that the middle roll is revolved at slightly greater speed than the first, and the third revolved slightly faster than the second or middle roll, and the bed-roll is proportionately revolved, so that the surface of the bearing-flange a will move in time with the working-surface of the third or last roll of the series, whether there be only two or more than three of said flanging-rolls, and therefore the surface of said bed-roll moves faster than all the flanging-rolls, except the-last roll of the series. The first flanging-roll of the series operates as a feed-roll, and only as a flangingroll in its cooperation with the next roll in the series-- 2'. 0., the sweat-lining is not subjected to any tension until it passes the first roll, instead of being subjected to tension by .clamping it in and by a guiding or gaging device, as heretofore in machines having but one set of rollsand therefore the lining is more easily and accurately guided than in machines where. the gage or guide is relied upon to perform the additional function of a tension device. The tension afforded by the first roll is regular, and is determined, not only by the pressure applied thereto, as heretofore, but also by its speed as compared with that of the next roll in the series, and therefore a lining-flange will be evenly and more rapidly stretched without that liability of injury incident to machines wherein frictional clamps are employed in connection with or as a part of the guiding or gaging devices.

The bed-roll may be dispensed with, if its equivalent be employed, in several separate bed-rolls for the flanging-rolls, as hereinafter described, and such separate bed-rolls can be each graduated as to speed with relation to its flanging-roll, so that any two sets of rolls, or the whole, will cooperate as if the flangingrolls had the single bed-roll common to all of them.

Heretofore all flanging-machines, so far as my knowledge extends, have had but one set of flan ging-rolls, and therefore said machines cannot operate gradually and progressively in forming a flange, as in my machine, in which two or more sets of rolls are employed. In said prior machines the surface of one of the rolls has always been moved more rapidly than that of the other, and, so far as my knowledge extends, this variation in speed of the surfaces in contact with the lining has been mainly effected by having the upper of the two rolls much larger in diameter than the lower roll and having the axes of said rolls rotating practicallyin unison. This prior construction causes a slipping or polishing action by the upper or larger roll, butit is without utility in that respect, because the polishing action is expended upon the surface of the flange which lies nextto the surface of the hat-brim; but it will be seen that the slipping or polishing effect is attained by my bed-roll, (or its equivalent, as stated,) because its surface moves more rapidly than all but the last of the flangingexposed portion of the flange is smoothed andpolished, coincident with the stretching of the lining, which occurs between each two of the flanging-rolls.

The radial arrangement of the axes of the flanging-rolls is important, .but it is not necessarily confined to an organization containing a bed-roll common to all the flanging-rolls, as will be hereinafter shown; but when this particular form of bed-roll is not used I employ an equivalent therefor, so far as relates to its practically vertical surface or support I), whereby the lining is laterally supported on its lower edge for causing it, by its weight, to occupy and maintain a position most favorable, to its rapid and accurate guidance to the rolls with a minimum of manipulation and care from the attendant.

Heretofore all machines have been so constructed as to provide for the lining beingfed thereto in a horizontal position, the flange thereof being turned upward, and they require both constant attention and considerable manipulation of the lining, notwithstanding the employment ofvarious specific devices for drawing the edge of the lining to be flanged toward the line of the fianging-rolls, and for maintaining them in a more or less desirable guiding position. The tendency ofa lining passing through mymachine is always toward the bite of the flanging-rolls, instead of away therefrom, as heretofore in flangingmachines, and I therefore provide a guidingplate, D. (Shown fully in Figs. 9 to 12, inclusive,

on Sheet 2.) It islocated beneath and between all the fianging or pressure rolls, and is recessed in circular lines on its upper edge, so as to stand vertically, as at 1'. between said rolls, is segmental in form, to correspond with the periphery of the bed-roll, and has ears or lugs, by which it is attached to the top plate of the machine. As clearly shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8, said guiding-plate serves'as a horizontal concave guide, beyond which the folded or flared edge beneath the flanging-rolls cannot pass, and, as clearly seen in Figs. 6 and 8, the,

surface of the bed-roll next above its flange also serves as a convex guiding-surface for the lining adjacent to the flange thereofand coincident with the concave surface of the guiding-plate D, thus assuring the proper position of the lining in passing through the machine. The outer ends of the-flanging-rolls are so located, with reference to the practically vertical surface I) of the bed-roll, as to afford between them ample space for the ithickest linings and for adjustment, if need be, the boxes of the bed-roll shaft may be.made adjustable, so as to move the bed-rolllaterally to or from the flan gin g-rolls. For adjusting the bearing-surface of the bed-flange a of bed-roll B with relation to the working-surfaces of the several flanging-rolls, I provide the shaft of the bedroll with a screw-step, 70, Fig. 3, whereby said roll may be vertically adjusted.

1t isj'obvious that the progresssive stretching effect may be attained by the use of more thalrftwo sets of rolls, like many heretofore employed singly, and that the feeding of the lining by one of two sets of such prior forms of roll may be effected, so as to attain the yielding stretch of the edge of the lining between the two sets of rolls, as in my machines; but both of said combinationswould embody certain features of my invention, although ailining fed thereto would lie flatwise with its doubled edge turned upward, instead of standing vertically (as preferred by me) with the flared edge turned laterally or sidewise.

The leading guide for properly delivering the lining to the first roll ofthe machine, which, as is obvious, operates both as a feed-roll and as a flan ging-roll, may be variably constructed, and because of its not operating as a tension device, as against the stretching operation of the flanging-roll, as heretofore, it can be reliedupon to accurately curl, fold, or double the edge of the lining. I have shown several forms of leading-guides.

In Figs. 13 to 16, inclusive, Sheet 2,1 show various views of a leading-guide, E, adapted for use with my machine, as illustrated in Fig. 7. When applied to the machine it affords a vertical slot or recess, 1, for receiving the lining edgewise, and a lateral slot at the bottom, l, curved at one end, and communicating with thevertical slot for receiving the lower edge of the lining, which is curved and folded upon itself for presentation to the feed-roll. The form and dimensions of this lower slot or recess will he obviously varied, according to whether a single flange or a doubled flange is required, with or without a reed or wire.

1 have shown in the drawings on Sheet 4, Figs. 23 to 31, inclusive, guides E and E specially adapted for use with a modification of my machine hereinafter described, and one ofsaid guides is rendered adjustable in various ways, by reason of its construction, as will be more fully hereinafter explained; but such adjustable guides will also he obviously desirable for use with the machine now under consideration.

As shown in Fig. 7, the leading-guide E is mounted in front of the first roll, its interior lower surface is in a plane with the bearingsurface of the bed-roll, and its arm at is secured to the top plate of the machine by a clamping thumb-screw, m, which, when loosened, permits the leading-guide to be swung outward, either away from or toward its working position, for facilitating the proper introduction of a lining.

The leading-guides used with my machine differ from all others heretofore known to me in that they are capable of presenting the main portion of the lining in avertical position,'and at nearly right angles to the axes of the pressure-rolls, and so that the folded edge is parallel with said axes, and therefore such a guide has value, if used with a single pair of rolls and with or without a tension device, because of the increased accuracy and facility with which a lining so presented can be properly delivered to said rolls without the liability to run out laterally from between the rolls, as is liable when the lining is fed through a gage which presents the lining mainly in a horizontal position and parallel with the axes of the rolls.

I will now describe the modification illustrated on Sheets 3 and 4.

In the developmentof the organization shown in Figs. 17 to 21, inclusive, I have adhered to many of the principal features of invention which are embodied in the machine already described.

The frame A of the machine requires no special description, its form and relative proportions being well indicated in the drawings.

This machine has no large bed-roll, but instead thereof ithas a small bed-roll for each upper roll, each two of these constituting a set of flan gin g-rolls, and although but two ofsuch sets are shown, additional sets may be employed, although two servea goodpurpose, and seldom,if ever, will more than three sets be desirable. The front or first set of rolls, C, have straight and parallel working-faces, (grooved or plain, as desired.) and their axes are also parallel with each other and geared together so as to be driven with uniformspeed; or if the polishing effect is desired,-as previously described, the lower roll may be driven faster than the upper. In front of the ends of these rolls is the equivalent of the practically vertical surface I) of the bed-roll previously describetL-the same consisting of a vertical spring, I), the inner surface of which is slightly convex laterally and nearly in contact with the front end of the lower roll. The upper roll is somewhat shorter than the lower, thus providing a space between the end of said upper roll and the inner surface of spring 1) sufficient to accommodate a sweat-liningstanding vertically. The spring I) and the surface I) of the bed-roll previously described perform the same functions. The rear or second set of rolls, 0 have conical working-faces similar to rolls heretofore employed in machines having a single set of rolls. The axes of these rolls and those of the first set radiate from a common center, and the upper rolls are provided with springs and thumbscrews, the upper boxes of both sets being pivotally mounted,substantially as in mymachine before described. The lower front-roll shaft serves also as a driving-shaft, and the upper front roll is geared directly to the lower. The driving-shaft carries agear which meshes with a gear on the rear end of the shaft of the upper or pressure-roll, U and a second gear thereon meshes with a corresponding gear on the shaft of the lower roll 0 The gearing of the rolls 0 is so proportioned that they are driven slightly faster than the rolls 0, so that the latter operate not only as feed-rolls, but also as flanging-rolls, in that they maintain a stretching tension upon the lining in their cooperation with rolls The edge-guide D, Fig. 22, differs slightly in form from the edge-guideD, previously described, but it performs the same functions,

and is located between the two sets of rolls, and is secured to the side of the box of the upper front roll, as indicated in Fig. 20. If a third set of flanging-rolls be employed another guide-plate should be similarly inserted between the second and third sets. In order to provide for the convenient insertion of the end of a sweat-lining between the front rolls, I have provided a hand-lever, n, and a liftingrod, 12, which engages with the under side of the upper front box, whereby the upper front roll is easily lifted against the pressure of its spring.

In Fig. 21 I have shown an enlarged side view of a part of the front rolls, the vertical spring-plate b, the edge-guide, and a sweatlining, with a reed and its cover, all occupying their proper positions with relation to each other as during the operation of flanging.

Although I am aware that many of the novel features of my invention may be embodied in machines diflering in their organization, even more than the two machines herein described, I prefer the type of machine illustrated on Sheets 1 and 2 of the drawings, in which all of the several features of my invention have been combined; but I do not limit myself to either of the precise organizations shown and described.

Various forms of guides or gages heretofore well known may be employed as leading-guides with machines embodying more or less of the separate features of my invention.

The guide or gage E, before herein referred to, (shown in Figs. 23 to 26,.inclusive,) is similar to that shown in Figs. 13 to It inclusive, except that it has but one vertical side, which co-operates with the vertical spring I), and serves to guide the lining in avertical position with its lower edge properly bent and folded for presentation to the front rolls. This guide or gage has a slotted base-plate, whereby it is secured to an arm or hand-lever, which, at its rear end, is pivoted to the top plate of the frame, as in prior fianging-machines having a single set of rollers.

The guide or gage E (shown in Figs. 27 to 31, inclusive,) is capable of being mounted, like the one last described, upon the handlever. It has, however, the two vertical sides, as in guide E on Sheet 2, but it is unlike that guide in having one side adjustable laterally on its base-plate. It also differs in having a central core, 0, (which occupies the recess at the bottom of the guide,) over and partially around which the sweat-lining is folded for forming the flange. It is also funnel-shaped at said recess, as is clearly indicated in the drawings. This central core is secured to one vertical side of the guide by means of screws, as shown, and it may be rendered vertically adjustable, ifneed be,by means ofslots, through which the screws are passed.

I make no special claim to any of these leading-gages, although they all difier from any others heretofore known to me, as used with flanging-machines, in that they are so con lCO structed and applied to the machine that they described, of a feeding roll or rolls,iand a flanging roll or rolls, revolving at greater speed than'the feed roll or rolls, whereby a stretching tension is maintained upon the edge of a sweat-lining between the feed and flanging rolls.

2. In a machine for flanging sweat-linings,

' the combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of two or more pressure-rolls for flanging, which are difl'erently sp eeded, as described, and one or more bed-rolls.

3. In a machine for flanging sweat-linings, the combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of three or more sets of flangingrolls, differently speeded, as described, for progressively stretching and flan ging the edge of a lining in its passage through said rolls.

4. In a machine for flanging sweatlinings, the combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of two or more flan ging or pressure rolls, one or more bed-rolls, and an edge-guide located between the flanging-rolls.

5. In a machine for flanging sweat-linings, the combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of two or more flangin g or pressure rolls, one or more bed-rolls, an edge-guide, and a leading-guide.

6. In a machine for flanging sweat-linings, the combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of a flanging roll or rolls and a vertical support for the lining, whereby the latter is maintained practically on its edge and at right angles to the axes of the rolls.

7. In a machine for flanging sweat-linings, the combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of one or more flanging-rolls and a vertically-slotted leading gage or guide, which supports the lining practically on its edge and delivers its edge for flang'ing in a position practically parallel with the axes of the rolls. 7

8. In a machine for fianging sweat-linings, the combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of one or more flanging pressurerolls, of a vertical support for the lining in front of the end of one or more of said rolls, and a vertically-slotted leading-guide.

9. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of a feed-roll, one or more Hanging-rolls, and a bed-roll common to all of I the rolls.

10. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of two or more flaugingrolls and a bed-roll common to all the flanging-rolls.

11. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of two or more flangingrolls, a bed-roll common to all the flangingrolls, and an edge-guide. V

12. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of two or more pressurerollsand a bed-roll which is common to all the pressure-rolls, and is provided with a practically vertical surface in front of the ends of the pressure-rolls.

13. In a machine for flanging sweat linings the combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of a pressure flanging-roll and a bed-roll having a bearing-surface which moves faster than the surface-of the pressure-roll, whereby the outer or exposed surface of the fiangeof the sweat-lining is smoothed or polished as it passes through the machine.

RUDOLF EIGKEMEYER.

Witnesses R. DONOHUE, GEORGE NARR. 

